(Please Note: The above video contains some mild profanity.)
It’s not just the way he writes his jokes that’s funny;
it’s the way he delivers them too.
As in these jokes of his ...
“Every book is a children’s book,
if the kid can read!”
“Dogs are forever in the push-up position!”
His cadence alone is pure comedy!
When I drove to Savannah, GA on October 30, 2009;
I passed Orlando and saw a picture of Nemo.
Using Mitch’s comedic cadence, I came up with this joke:
I found Nemo.
He was part of the seafood combo platter at Red Lobster.
And he was delicious.
Especially with cocktail sauce.
Especially with cocktail sauce.
And this one:
Is Savannah in Louisiana?
I shouldn’t have turned left.
Is Savannah in Indiana?
I’m still lost,
but I’m making great time.
In my recent blog My Thoughts about “The Hunger Games”, I wrote this bit, which sounds much better with Mitch’s voice:
My Hunger Game is deciding
what kind of pancakes to make for breakfast.
This morning I made round.
Because trapezoidal pancakes are too hard to flip.
In another previous post: “How to Become a Super Hero (Without Having Your Home Planet Explode)”, I referenced his joke:
(Mitch Hedberg
): “I went to a doctor.
All he did was suck blood from my neck.
Don’t go see Dr. Acula!”
Mitch not only declared his jokes
and used a comedic cadence,
he also added characterization by using quotes,
by bringing his material to life.
(Mitch Hedberg
): “People associate long hair with drug use.
I wish people associated long hair
with something other than drug use,
like an extreme longing for cake.
And then strangers would see a long haired guy and say,
‘That guy eats cake!’ ‘He is on bundt cake!’
Mothers saying to their daughters,
‘Don’t bring the cake-eater over here anymore.
He smells like flour.
Did you see how excited he got
when he found out your birthday was fast approaching?’”
Mitch combines declarations, cadence, and quoting
with his unique vocal delivery: A hip persona.
He presents himself as a druggie rocker of sorts,
but his vocalizations exude a soul and style
similar to jazz musicians and “hepcats” from the 1950s.
Most successful comics use characterizations
to bring their material to life;
such as Brian Regan
who uses his own “Goofy Man” voice.
So find your own Comic Voice, your persona,
the unique thing about you that makes you funny
and gets you laughs.
Make your own humorous observations
and present them in your own inimitable, hilarious way.
And then, seven years after you die,
an ardent student of comedy/adoring fan may blog
about your comedic brilliance too.
Blessings & Joy,
(February 24, 1968 – March 30, 2005)
Thank you Mitch for entertaining us!
Be sure you also check out these other related blog posts:
The Day the Laughter Died
Some of My Favorite Mitch Hedberg Jokes
My Favorite Mitch Hedberg Routine
Mitch Hedberg's Jokes Still Inspire!
The Dufrene Joke Structure: Setup, Punchline, Tag
Mitch Hedberg's Last Performance on the Late Show
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